[Khaama (Afghanistan)] A local journalist has been in coma after a gunman shot him in the head in Pul-e-Khumri, the quiet provincial capital of northern Baghlan province.

Mohammad Ibrahim Hashemi and Mohammad Musa Hashemi, both brothers and employees of Adib Radio, were attack on their way home in first police district of the city on Thursday night.

Mohammad Ibrahim sustained serious injuries and went to coma. His brother Mohammad Musa who survived the gun shots was maimed after severely beaten up.

Habib-ur-Rahman regional manager of Adib Radio said that the man who fired the gun has been detained by police.

NAI, an organization that supports open media in Afghanistan urges government to bring the culprit to a public trial.

Abdul Mujib Khilwatgar, Executive Director of NAI said that the attacker has been detained and government needs to bring him into justice.

This was at least the fourth attack on journalists in Afghanistan since the last month.

Eight journalists have lost lives and more than 20 others sustained injuries in these attacks.

This comes as President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani...former chancellor of Kabul University, now president of Afghanistan. Before returning to Afghanistan in 2002 he was a scholar of political science and anthropology. He worked at the World Bank working on international development assistance. As Finance Minister of Afghanistan between July 2002 and December 2004, he led Afghanistan's attempted economic recovery until the Karzais stole all the money. .. has ordered all security institutions to take necessary measures for protecting journalists.

[Khaama (Afghanistan)] 12 Death Eaters from the terrorist group of the Islamic State...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... (IS) or Daesh [Islamic State] have been killed in a clash with security forces in eastern NangarharThe unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country.. province.Islamic State has somehow established itself in territory adjacent to Pakistain, cleared of terrorists by operation Zarb-e-Azb. You can't establish a major military presence without funding and logistics. Gee, Golly, Shucks, and a coupla Goshes, but how can that occur right under the very nostrils of the Pak government? It's amazing. Smacks of the dark arts.
Nangarhar governor's spokesperson said the clash erupted in Sayed Ahmadkhil area of Kot District in the wee hours of Saturday.

Ataullah Khogyani added that the clash left 12 Death Eaters killed and 10 others maimed.

According to Khogyani, security forces did not suffer casualties but two civilians sustained injuries by bullets fired by the holy warriors.

Kot is one of the at least seven districts of Nangarhar province where the Death Eaters have a stronger presence.

Taliban were the primary security challenge for security forces but Daesh [Islamic State] which emerged in Nangarhar about 14 months before has been proved more dangerous.

The group's larger presence has been witnessed in Nangarhar but a new report shows that it has 7,000 to 8,000 fighters all over Afghanistan.

[Khaama (Afghanistan)] At least sixty eight anti-government bandidosLions of Islam were killed in latest counter-terrorism operations led by the Afghan National Army (ANA) forces in the past forty eight hours.

The Ministry of Defense (MoD) in two separate statements provided an operational update regarding ongoing counter-terrorism operations in different parts of the country.

In the first statement, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said at least 36 bandidosLions of Islam were killed and 26 others were killed in the operations conducted in NangarharThe unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country.., Kunar, Ghazni, Herat...a venerable old Persian-speaking city in western Afghanistan, populated mostly by Tadjiks, which is why it's not as blood-soaked as areas controlled by Pashtuns..., Baghlan, Helmand...an Afghan province populated mostly by Pashtuns, adjacent to Injun country in Pak Balochistan..., and Badakhshan provinces.

The statement further added that seven bandidosLions of Islam were detained and various types of weapon and ammunition were confiscated by the security forces.

In the second statement, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said at least 32 bandidosLions of Islam were killed and five others were maimed during the operations conducted in Paktia, Ghazni, Zabul, Baghlan andnangarhar provinces.

The statement also added that three commanders of the anti-government armed bandidosLions of Islam along with two producers of homemade improvised bomb were among those killed and various homemade land mines were discovered and seized during the operations.

The anti-government armed murderous Moslem groups have not commented regarding the reports so far.

[Khaama (Afghanistan)] At least sixteen Pak forces of Evil affiliated with the Islamic State...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group loyalists in Afghanistan, were killed in separate Arclight airstrikes in eastern NangarharThe unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country.. province of Afghanistan.

According to the local government officials the forces of Evil were killed in two separate raids in Batikot and Achin districts where the loyalists of the terror group are largely operating.

The Arclight airstrikes were apparently carried out by the foreign forces using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a local official said, adding that a vehicle carrying the loyalists of the terror group was targeted in the first raid.

The official further added that five forces of Evil were killed in the raid while eleven others were killed in the second raid that targeted a gathering of the loyalists of the terror group.

The district administrative chief for Achin Ghalib Mujahid confirmed that sixteen murderous Moslems, all hailing from Pakistain were killed in the air raids.

The Afghan and coalition security forces have stepped up counter-terrorism operations against the loyalists of the terror group in Nangarhar province recently amid concerns that that the terror group is busy in expanding foothold in the country.

The commander of the U.S. Forces and NATO...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It's headquartered in Belgium. That sez it all....-led Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan Gen. John Campbell had earlier said the loyalists of the terror group are looking to establish a regional Base in Nangarhar province of Afghanistan as they try to consolidate links with the terror group in Syria and Iraq.

Somali National Army (SNA), along with the African Union Soldiers (AMISOM) have taken full control of the southern coastal town of Marko, the regional capital of Lower Shabelle region.

Hassan Abdulle, a senior Somali police confirmed the seizure of the city, saying the allied troops re-captured the police station and administrative headquarters of Marko, 110Km south of Somali capital, Mogadishu.

Al shabaab fighters entered the city on Friday morning without a resistance, after Somali and AMISOM troops pulled out of the town.

Suspected terrorists attacked on Friday a UN military camp in the fabled city of Timbuktu in Mali's restive north, wounding at least one peacekeeper, security sources said. Shots were still being heard in the area, a source in the UN peacekeeping force in Mali (MINUSMA) told AFP, indicating hours-long fighting.

"Six to seven terrorists arrived very early in the morning at a MINUSMA camp in Timbuktu. They blew up their vehicle before attacking the camp with mortars," the source said.

"One peacekeeper from Niger was wounded." the source said, adding that the camp had recently been evacuated by blue helmets from Niger but some soldiers had remained there.

A Malian military source said Malian troops were "fighting to neutralize the terrorists."

Northern Mali fell under the control of Tuareg rebels and terrorist groups linked to Al-Qaeda in 2012. Large swathes of Mali remain lawless however despite a June peace deal between the former Tuareg rebels and rival pro-government armed groups.

KARACHI: Army soldiers deployed at one of the entry points of the Malir cantonment killed a motorcyclist on Friday when he entered the fortified garrison area without proving his identification.

However, the whole incident remained shrouded in mystery since army authorities were not willing to share complete information with the local police as well as the media till late in the night, although the man was killed in the afternoon.

The body of the deceased was dispatched to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre from the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) several hours after the incident for a mandatory post-mortem examination.

Malir SSP Rao Anwar told Dawn that he also heard about the incident from other sources but got no official confirmation. However, Malir Cantt SHO Jafar Baloch said that the military authorities had informed him about the death of an unidentified man and asked him to take the body for completion of legal formalities.

Dr Seemin Jamali, the head of JPMC’s emergency department, said that the victim suffered a single bullet wound in the chest. He appeared to be in his early 20s, she added.

About the incident, the SHO said that the soldiers posted at the Gate No. 5 of the Malir Cantt signalled a motorcyclist to stop and prove his identification. However, he crossed the gate and tried to speed away upon which the soldiers fired at him.

The SHO said that the man got wounded and was taken to the CMH, where he died after about one and half hours. He said that the identification of the deceased could not be made till late in the night.

The motorcycle (NHF-6237) that he was riding was a stolen one, he said, adding that a man, Saleem, lodged a report (FIR 36/2016) at the SITE-Superhighway police station on Friday morning that someone had stolen his motorbike. The area SHO said that the incident at Malir Cant occurred at around 1.15pm.

Meanwhile, a military source told Dawn that it was an “accident”. He said that the soldiers asked the man to stop and show his identification. He instead entered and sped away only to come back again.

The chasing soldiers asked him to stop, but he did not pay any heed to their warning. In view of his suspicious activity, the soldiers fired a “careful shot”, the source said, adding that the wounded was moved to a hospital where he died.

ISLAMABAD: Capital city police have arrested 15 outlaws including six dacoits and recovered a car, two motorbikes and a weapon from their possession, a police spokesman said.

According to reports, SSP Sajid Kiani assigned the task to SP of the Industrial-Area Muhammad Amir Niazi to ensure arrest of culprits involved in various reported incidents of dacoities. He constituted a special team including Sabzi Mandi SHO Inspector Mehboob Ahmed, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASIs) Ali Muhammad and Adeel Shokat and others that succeeded to arrest six dacoits. The nabbed persons have been identified as Said Ghani, Ishamil Khan, Usman Ghani, Hazrat Bilal, Younas and adrees and recovered three 30-bore pistols along with ammunition and two motorbikes were also recovered from their possession. Police team also arrested accused Muslim Khan and recovered one 30-bore illegal pistol along with ammunition from his possession.

Meanwhile, Shehzad Town police recovered one 30-bore illicit pistol along with ammunition from the possession of arrested accused Hassnain. Koral police recovered one 30-bore illegal pistol along with ammunition from the possession of arrested accused Nazkat.

ACLC police recovered a tampered car from the possession of accused Muhammad Ayub and Ghulam Rabbani. Cases have been registered against these nabbed persons and further investigation is underway from them. Islamabad’s SSP Sajid Kiani has appreciated this overall performance and directed all the SHOs to ensure high vigilance and strict patrolling in their respective areas to ensure strict safety and security measures in the capital city.

On a separate note, five suspected robbers have been arrested within the Naseerabad police jurisdiction.

On a tip-off, police raided a venue in Naseerabad and rounded up five suspected robbers identified as Mohammad Shafiq, Mohsin Ali, Mohammad Yousuf, Rafaqat Ali and Robert Masih.

Police also claimed to have recovered five pistols and 18 rounds from the possession of suspects. Police further said that they were formulating a plan to strike at a place before their terror bid was foiled. Police have registered a case and started investigation.

QUETTA: At least 10 people, including four security personnel, woman and a child, were killed and 23 others sustained injuries as a suicide bomber targeted a security forces’ vehicle near the premises of the heavily guarded Quetta district courts on Saturday.

The security convoy comprising a truck and two vehicles was on routine patrolling on the Adalat Road of Quetta city when a bicycle rider targeted it. DIG Imtiaz Shah confirmed it was a suicide attack and that the attacker blew himself up near a vehicle belonging to the FC. “Around 12 to 15 kg of explosive material was used in the blast,” he said.

Inspector General Froniter Corps General Sher Afgan while talking to media confirmed that it was a suicide attack, adding that the terrorists were attacking soft targets as the successes achieved by armed forces and FC during the anti-terror operation have destroyed their capabilities. “Such attacks cannot dampen our spirit as we will continue fighting these elements till the establishment of peace in Balochistan,” he said. The elements who are involved in terrorist activities will be eliminated, he said, and added, “Action against terrorists will be fast and will bring peace for people of Balochistan.”

Balochistan government spokesperson Anwar ul Haq Kakar said that security forces had carried out 250 intelligence- based operations in Balochistan against the terrorists. “The act of the suicide bombing is reaction of the security forces’ operation and aims at demoralising the security forces,” he said, adding that forces’ morale is high and government will not tolerate any kind of terrorist act.

Heavy contingent of police reached the spot shortly after the incident and cordoned off the area. The deceased and injured were shifted to the Civil Hospital Quetta. The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

“The TTP’s TSG Unity carried out the attack that targeted the convoy of security forces,” Taliban spokesperson, Mohammad Khorasani said in an email sent to journalists. The claim could not be independently verified.

The blast damaged around five vehicles, four motorcycles and three rickshaws. The window panels of the nearby buildings were also shattered in the blast. The explosion was heard in a wide area.

Traffic in the area usually remains jammed, with a market, district and sessions courts and a number of government building situated in the vicinity.

Television footage showed several wounded FC personnel being shifted from the scene. Rescue and emergency teams reached the blast site. An emergency was declared in all nearby hospitals. Dr Rasheed Jamali, the on-duty physician at Civil Hospital Quetta, said that eight people among the injured were in serious condition and were moved to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) for medical treatment.

Balochistan Home Secretary Akbar Hussain Durani told media on the spot said the suicide bomber targeted the FC vehicles. Claiming that the attack was aimed at damaging the CPEC project, the secretary said, “Because of the economic corridor, the security forces are being targeted by terrorists.” He said the terrorists don’t want CPEC project to complete.

Thirty-four militant groups from around the world had reportedly pledged allegiance to the Daesh extremist group as of mid-December - and that number will only grow in 2016, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a report on Friday.

Ban said Daesh poses "an unprecedented threat," because of its ability to persuade groups from countries like the Philippines, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Libya and Nigeria to pledge their allegiance.

He said UN member states should also prepare for an increase attacks by Daesh associated groups traveling to other countries to launch attacks and develop networks.

"The recent expansion of the Daesh sphere of influence across west and north Africa, the Middle East and south and southeast Asia demonstrates the speed and scale at which the gravity of the threat has evolved in just 18 months," Ban said, using another abbreviation for the group.

Adding to the threat, Daesh is "the world's wealthiest terrorist organization," Ban said, citing estimates the group generated $400-$500 million from oil and oil products in 2015, despite an embargo.

But it would have been unfair for us to use A10s to strafe the oil trucks, since we're concerned about the welfare of the truck drivers...

According to the UN mission in Iraq, cash taken from bank branches located in provinces under the group's control totalled $1 billion. The mission also estimates that a tax on trucks entering Daesh controlled-territory generates nearly $1 billion a year, he said.

You do get the sense that, despite all the growl and bluster, the world isn't really too interested in dealing with ISIS. If it were these money-making operations would all of a sudden disappear.

ERBIL – Militants of the Islamic State (ISIS) on Saturday cut off hands of three teenagers in the city of Mosul in northwestern Iraq, after accusing them of stealing. The brutal punishment was carried out in front of dozens of people in central Mosul.

“The three teenagers, who were accused of stealing goods from a store in Mosul, were arrested by the ISIS-led Islamic Police relier on Friday,” a civil rights activist told ARA News in Mosul, speaking on condition of anonymity for security concerns.

“The suspects were referred to the Sharia Court, which ordered the amputation of the right hand of each one of them,” the source said.

A Sharia official read a statement before the punishment was carried out in a public square in Mosul city of Nineveh province on Saturday evening.

The incident has reportedly raised the outrage of the city’s residents, as the three victims were teenagers and the punishment was conducted without investigation.

The ISIS-led Sharia Court had earlier issued a decision to cut off the right hand of every person accused of robbery in areas under the group’s control, arguing that the punishment is originally derived from the Islamic law.

QAMISHLI – At least 30 militant fighters from the Islamic State (ISIS) were killed on Saturday in clashes with the Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Makhmur district, northern Iraq.

Clashes broke out after ISIS militants carried out three car bomb attacks on Peshmerga headquarters in Makhmur district.

“The group conducted three simultaneous terror attacks with explosive cars near the Peshmerga headquarters, while other militants were trying to infiltrate in recently liberated villages in the district on Saturday evening,” Peshmerga officer Reshid Sufi told ARA News in Erbil, capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.

Eight Peshmerga fighters were reported dead in the ISIS-led attacks.

‘The Peshmerga eventually repelled the attack after killing more than 30 terrorists and forcing the rest to withdraw from the district,” the source reported.

The Kurdish troops, backed by local Arab tribal groups, were able Thursday to retake the town of Koudellah in western Makhmur after expelling ISIS militants from the town.

Also on Saturday, the Peshmerga liberated the villages of Gire and Merde in Makhmur district subsequent to clashes with ISIS fighters. The Kurdish forces had also imposed their full control on the Khazir district in northern Iraq in a bid to impede ISIS’s progress in the areas on border with Iraqi Kurdistan Region.

(IraqiNews.com) Salahuddin – The Leader of al-Hashd al-Shaabi Jabbar al-Maamouri announced on Saturday, that the media official in the so-called ISIS in Salahuddin was killed in a clash, along with one of his companions north of the province.

Mamouri said in a press statement followed by IraqiNews.com, “ISIS media official in Salahuddin Province Abu Qtaiba al-Iraqi was killed in a clash near Alas oil fields north of Salahuddin, along with one of his companions.”

Mamouri added, “Abu Qtaiba al-Iraqi was one of the prominent media personnel in ISIS.”

(IraqiNews.com) Kirkuk – A security source in Kirkuk province announced on Friday, that 31 ISIS elements had been either killed or wounded in an aerial bombing by the international coalition northwest of the province.

The source said in a statement followed by IraqiNews.com, “Today, warplanes of the international coalition bombarded one of the ISIS sites in a village surrounding Debs District (50 km northwest of Kirkuk), resulting in the death of 12 [ISIS] elements and wounding 19 others.”

“The strikes were accurate and destructed the specified targets of the ISIS elements,” the source added.

(IraqiNews.com) Kirkuk – On Saturday, a security source revealed, that 19 members of the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria have been either killed or wounded in an aerial bombardment southwest of Kirkuk.

The source said in a press statement received by IraqiNews.com, “This evening the international coalition aviation shelled ISIS headquarters in Saddam Village, in addition to three headquarters in al-Rashad area, killing seven ISIS members and wounding 12 others.”

The source added, “The air strike was conducted based on accurate intelligence information,” pointing out that, “ISIS starts to prepare a number of fighters in al-Rashad area to attack Hamrin Mountains.”

(IraqiNews.com) Anbar – On Saturday the Commander of Anbar tribal fighters Tariq Yusuf al-Asal announced the participation of Anbar tribal fighters in the repulse of ISIS attack on the northern axis of Ramadi.

Asal said in a brief statement obtained by IraqiNews.com, “The 4th and 2nd regiments of Anbar tribal fighters under the command of Colonel Moayed al-Hamishi and Lieutenant Colonel Odai al-Delimi joined the army forces to repulse ISIS attack on the northern axis of Ramadi.”

“The army forces and tribal fighters managed to kill dozens of ISIS members during the attack and inflicted heavy human and material losses on them.”

(IraqiNews.com) al-Anbar – Anbar Operations Command announced on Saturday, that the army forces had managed to repel an attack by ISIS on a security headquarters north of the city of Ramadi, while pointed out to the destruction of three booby-trapped vehicles driven by suicide bombers as well as the death of dozens of ISIS elements.

Ismail al-Mahalawi, the commander of Anbar Operations, said in a statement received by IraqiNews.com, “The tenth division foiled an ISIS attack on its headquarters in the area of al-Thurthar north of Ramadi,” adding that, “The division’s troops detonated two booby-trapped vehicles driven by suicide bombers, while the international coalition aviation destructed a third one,” noting that, “The clashes between the [ISIS] elements and the division’s troops resulted in killing tens of [ISIS] elements.”

(IraqiNews.com) Anbar – The Commander of the 3rd special operations brigade in the Anti-Terrorism Bureau Sami al-Aredi announced on Saturday, that the Anti-Terrorism forces advanced toward Juwiba area east of Ramadi to liberate the city from ISIS control.

Aredi said in a brief statement received by IraqiNews.com, “The Anti-Terrorism forces advanced toward Juwiba area to liberate it from the control of ISIS, after liberating Sijariya area east of Ramadi.”

“Some families in Juwiba area started to exit the city toward the Anti-Terrorism forces,” Aredi added.

(IraqiNews.com) al-Anbar – A security source in Anbar province said on Friday, that 17 ISIS elements had been killed in an artillery strike by the army forces west of Ramadi.

The source said in a brief statement received by IraqiNews.com, “The rockets battalion belonging to the army’s 7th brigade bombed gatherings of ISIS in the villages of Dwylih, Garraf and Jabba Island in al-Baghdadi District (90 km west of Ramadi), killing 17 [ISIS] elements.”

The source added, “Another force from the 7th brigade treated a booby-trapped vehicle driven by a suicide bomber in the village of al-Brazaiyah northeast of Baghdadi District.”

(IraqiNews.com) Anbar – The Commander of the 3rd special operations brigade in the Anti-Terrorism Bureau announced the liberation of the road linking between Sijariya and Tel Mushaihida in eastern Ramadi, while indicated to the release of 64 civilians from Juwiba area east of the city.

Major General Sami al-Aredi told reports, “Today the Anti-Terrorism forces managed to liberate and cleanse the road linking between Sijariya and Tel Mushaihida from ISIS control.”

“The Anti-Terrorism forces were also able to release 64 civilians including women and children from Juwiba area east of Ramadi and transferred them to the liberated area of Sijariya,” Aredi added.

(IraqiNews.com) Anbar – A security source in Anbar Province announced on Saturday, that the international coalition aviation shelled two cannons belonging to the so-called ISIS west of Ramadi.

The source said in a statement obtained by IraqiNews.com, “Security forces warplanes located two sites of Hell Cannons belonging to ISIS,” pointing out that, “ISIS used these cannons to shell the residential neighborhoods in al-Baghdadi area.”

The source added, “The international coalition aviation in cooperation with the army’s 7th brigade shelled the two sites and destructed both cannons completely.”

HASAKAH – Militant fighters of the Islamic State (ISIS) on Saturday launched an offensive on headquarters of the western-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the northeastern province of Hasakah, military sources reported.

ISIS militants hit an SDF security center and a checkpoint near the village of Qana in Hasakah countryside with mortar fire and heavy machine guns, where at least four SDF fighters were killed and several others were injured.

“Subsequent to the terror attack, our (SDF) units were engaged in clashes with Daesh terrorists in the vicinity of Qana village,” Ali al-Jassim, a member of the SDF, told ARA News in Hasakah, using another acronym for ISIS.

The clashes resulted in the death of at least seven ISIS militants, according to the source.

In the meantime, the western coalition conducted two airstrikes on the ISIS fighting positions in the area.

“With the support of the U.S.-led coalition’s warplanes, our units were able to repel the attack and the terrorists were forced to withdraw towards their strongholds in Shaddadi city on Saturday midnight,” al-Jassim said.

Shaddadi is considered the main bastion for ISIS militant fighters in Hasakah province.

The Kurdish-Arab-Christian alliance of the SDF had earlier liberated more than 240 towns and villages in Hasakah province from ISIS. However, the group has been trying to fight back in a bid to retake positions and protect its final bastion of Shaddadi against the western-backed forces.

Guards' cheques didn't clear, I guess
KOBANE – Some 18 Kurdish men who have been held by ISIS militants for months escaped on Saturday the group’s detention center in Manbij city in Syria’s northern province of Aleppo, activists reported.

Dozens of Kurds have been arrested by jihadis of the Islamic State (ISIS) over the past few months in Manbij, after being accused of cooperating with the Kurdish forces of the People’s Protection Units (YPG)–who are in conflict with ISIS in northern Syria.

“On Saturday evening, some 18 Kurdish prisoners were able to escape the ISIS-held detention center of Manbij,” media activist Zara Misto told ARA News, adding that the escapees have arrived to Kobane city, on the border with Turkey.

“They are all in good health conditions,” he confirmed after meeting the 18 young men.

This is the first time that Kurdish prisoners were able to escape an ISIS detention center in Syria.

This comes after the extremist group executed dozens of Kurds on charges of cooperating with the YPG and other factions who have been combating ISIS in northern Syria for more than two years.

“Hundreds of people are still imprisoned by the terrorist group in Manbij, including women,” one of the Kurdish civilians who escaped ISIS prison in Manbij told ARA News in Kobane.

“We have been brutally tortured on a daily basis at the hands of Daesh (ISIS) militants,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We are glad to be able to flee that horrific cell after months of detention. However, we are highly concerned about the fate of hundreds of innocent people who are still held by the terror group.”

Daesh has lost over two-thirds of the border towns under its control on the Syrian-Turkish borderline, media reported on Saturday. The Daesh presence has started to shrink since the beginning of 2015 as the group's control of 250 km of the Syrian-Turkish borders in early 2015 was reduced to 70 km, Xinhua reported.

No thanks to us or to the Turks. Lots of Kurds bled to make this happen...

"The group had used those border cities to bring in arms and fighters before losing much of these conduits," the report said.

Daesh now has three crossings with Turkey -- the first is west of Jarablus city near the town of Halwaniyey, this crossing is rugged from the Turkish side, but the group uses it to get medical and military supplies. This conduit is guarded by highly-trained Daesh fighters connected directly with the leadership of the group.

The second crossing, close to the first one, is located near the town of Haji. The group, via it, sends and receives fighters, including those who need medical treatment. The report said Daesh scrutinises the pretexts and medical conditions of those leaving, as no fighter is permitted to leave without a signed document from his commander.

The third is near the town of Ayaseh, which is used for the transportation of civilians who live under the Daesh rule to Turkey back and forth.

The presence of Daesh is threatened in northern Aleppo with the progress of the Western-backed rebels of the Syrian Democratic Force, which is approaching the group's bastion in Manbej in northern Aleppo as well as the Syrian military force progress on the northeastern fronts in Aleppo, in a battle aims at closing the Syrian-Turkish borders and cutting the militants supply lines.

Syria's government troops are approaching the city of Al Bab, a main stronghold for the Daesh in northern Aleppo near Turkey. Other militants, including the Al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front and the Ahrar Al Sham Movement are also losing border points between Syria and Turkey.

On Friday, and part of the military forces wide-scale offensive in Aleppo, the Syrian army backed by the Shia fighters of Hezbollah and heavy Russian air cover captured the strategic towns of Mayer and Ratyan, which were under the control of the Nusra Front and Ahrar Al Sham Movement. The capture of these towns was the latest defeat conflicted upon the militant groups in northern Aleppo, as the towns were the main supply lines for weapon and munition to the hardline militants in Aleppo, said Al Mayadeen.

It took the Syrian troops one hour only to take Mayer, after the military units took Ratyan on Friday, according to the report.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Right said over 100 Syrian soldiers and militants were killed on Friday during intense battles in the northern province of Aleppo. The soldiers and militants were killed during the Syrian military offensive for taking over Ratyan.

Capturing Ratyan and Mayer came after the Syrian army captured key towns in northern Aleppo, namely the towns of Dweir Zaitoun, Hardatnain, Tal Jbain, and Maraset Al Khan, all the way toward breaking the Nusra Front siege on the Shiite towns of Nubbol and Zahraa. Nubbol and Zahraa had been under the militants' siege for over three years, during which the Syrian jets were dropping aid and food to the trapped people.

[ALMANAR.LB] The Syrian army, backed by the popular defense units, seized more areas near Nubbul and Zahraa in Aleppo countryside, securing the two towns against the Takfiri...an adherent of takfir wal hijra, an offshoot of Salafism that regards everybody who doesn't agree with them as apostates who must be killed... bad boys.

Field sources told al-Manar that the Syrian army and the popular defense units established full control of Rityan and Mair towns in the northern countryside of Aleppo province.

The move is considered important as it secures Nubbul and Zahraa, the two towns which were besieged by the Takfiri bandidos bad boys for more than three years. The allied forces broke the siege of the two towns on Wednesday.

Meanwhile,...back at the argument, Livia had made her point with her knee to Jane's stomach... the sources added that scores of bully boyz fled Aleppo's northern countryside, heading to Bab al-Salama border crossing with The Sick Man of Europe Turkey...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire.....

Media reports said that that the Turkish authorities have shut the crossing with thousands have been gathering there.

"Turkey has been forced to shut the border for the second day in a row after being overwhelmed by the number of refugees," The Independent said on Saturday.

A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.

Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.

Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.